How To Adopt A New Skincare Routine

[ 11 May 2007 ]

I’m not going to lie to you — changing your skincare routine is a major fiasco. It makes me quite nervous, actually. There is such huge potential for disaster. If you have something which works for you, I strongly recommend sticking to it. Don’t get sucked into the vanity of wanting to use Chanel skincare if Johnson&Johnson makes your skin glow — you will regret it.

Why would someone want to change their skincare routine in the first place?
In my case, I had to change mine because my favourite moisturiser (Afterlife by Lush) was discontinued in Australasia. A tragedy, since I loved it & had been using it for years. Other reasons might be that you’re breaking out regularly, your skin is too dry or too oily, your cleanser stings your face, or you want to upgrade to a more adult or glamorous brand (don’t do it!).

Now that you’ve established that you want to pull the great switcheroo, here’s how to go about it.

1. Research.
The first thing you should do is work out the attributes of a product you’d like to use. Does price matter to you? How about fragrance — would you rather something that smells amazing or something fragrance-free? Do you want a product with a good reputation or does that not bother you? You get the picture. For me, the most important thing about a skincare product is that it’s fairly natural, & by this I mean lots of plant-based ingredients & very little in the way of preservatives or alcohol. There aren’t a lot of companies doing that kind of thing, so that automatically narrows the pool.

From here, you need to find out about companies which you think might be in line with what you’re after. The controversial Paula Begoun, aka “the Cosmetics Cop” (pshhhh) has a handy little search function on her website. You can use this to get overall reviews of brands, & also individual assessments of pretty much any makeup, skincare or haircare product ever invented.

Do, of course, keep in mind that this is one woman’s opinion — & of course, she hasn’t tried the vast majority of these things. (Can you imagine what a mess her skin would be if she was using a different product every day?!) No, mostly she just reads the ingredients list & makes an assessment. I disagree with a lot of her reviews, BUT it’s a good place to start.

Once you’ve read up on that, head to Makeupalley for a real review. Makeupalley is amazing, a community site where cosmetics-obsessed individuals write their thoughts on everything in their makeup cabinet. It’s great for getting a balanced perspective on things, & you can rank reviews by average rating, too.

2. Obtain samples.
I think it’s important to go to the beauty counter of the company you’re interested in & talk to one of their staff. They know what they’re talking about, & they can look at your skin & make recommendations of what you might like to use. They also have interesting insights — you might think your skin is dry, when actually, it’s just dehydrated. They are trained professionals so take their advice! Don’t feel bad about getting samples: you should take as many as you possibly can.

If they don’t give out samples, walk away. Seriously. WHY anyone would spend hundreds of dollars on a product that may or may not work is beyond me. Some products get rave reviews, but everyone’s skin is different & there is no guarantee that anything will work for you!

3. Try, try, try again.
When you’re changing your skincare routine, try to go slowly if possible. In my case, I was using a Lush cleanser, a Lush toner & a Lush moisturiser. My moisturiser was almost finished, so when I went to the Aesop counter, they gave me a moisturiser which suited my skintype as well as some cleanser. While the temptation to use both of these products was great, I held myself back, & I am glad. Why? Because if your skin starts to break out, you won’t know why. Best to substitute one product at a time.

Here’s the bad news — it can take a long time, sometimes up to 3 weeks for your skin to show a reaction to a skincare product. I know, it’s bad. Often, cosmetics companies aren’t very keen on giving away 3 weeks worth of free product, & I can understand why. My suggestion to you is to use as little as possible, make it last the distance. (The sneaky may like to go back for more samples.)

4. Buy the smallest size you can & keep your receipt.
Smile at yourself in the mirror. You fought the beauty industry & won!

When skincare goes wrong…
Another week into your routine, you might break out, get a rash or feel like your face is melting. It happens! If it does, you’ll be glad you kept the receipt. Take it back to the store. Usually when you do this & explain the problem, they’ll exchange your bunk product for something which is more suited to your skintype. If not, shake your fist angrily & return to your prior skincare routine.

Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala

Tags: beauty, consumption, how to, madame, monsieur

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I desperately need a new skincare routine, but I have no idea where to start!
I’ve always had problem blemish-prone skin, and nothing I’ve done to date has solved the problem… only lessened it.
I recently borrowed Paula Begoun’s book off a friend, and tried to adopt her plan for blemish prone skin…
Never again!! I’ve not had this many spots or skin this greasy since I was 15! I’ve switched back to my usual nasty harsh cleanser for now, until I get things a little under control again.
The problem is that I now don’t know where to go to find something that works! Paula Begoun had such negative reviews of almost all of the products for blemish prone skin (and they seemed to be valid points in terms of what ingredients were in them) that I now don’t know where to go for advice.
I don’t really want to resort to Isotane, but I’m coming around to the conclusion that this is probably the only thing that’s going to work. :(
Ritalin · May 11, 01:33 PM · #
Until this year I never really had a skincare routine! My skin just kind of was there and that was it! Now I’m Lush obsessed! I can happily cleanse, tone and moisturise away and it doesn’t feel like a chore! Well sometimes I forget the moisturise bit but my skin gets by just fine (I use Afterlife, still sold here in the UK, I think you once mentioned you like the smell but I find it really odd!) The bit I find hard is taking my make-up off before bed… it’s 3am here (I’ve just got in from my college leavers do) and I just can’t be bothered to get up to take it off!! Also I use Sweet Japanese Girl soap and I managed to scratch a big line down my nose with one of the exfoliating bits… oww! I’m a bit careless sometimes! Oh and about the Style Tips-Bento Box… how cute! I was looking at some on jlist the other day! They’re adorable! Oh I’m so happy this evening… morning even! And all of these lovely new articles make me even happier =) I hope your day has been just as lovely as mine! Better get this make up off and get to sleep…. my head of year wants us in at nine so he can laugh at our hangovers and lack of sleep…. mean man! To cheer him up I bought him a big teddy bear… not sure it worked though! Oh I’m sorry what was meant to be a quick comment had turned into a rambling essay… and my use of ellipses is a bit over the top…..hmmm…..................
Lizzie · May 11, 02:21 PM · #
Gala your skin is so lush, you know your stuff! I adore the idea of fighting the beauty industry and winning…sometimes those bottles of hope can be oh so convincing ;)

Oh but the chemicals are too nasty and totally freakin scary. http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2/index.php

For us matured and slightly weathered women (years in the Aussie sun and lifestyle) an African remedy is the key http://chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/sheabutterexp.htm

What goes in must come out! http://www.gorgeous-skin.com/health_beauty.htm

Thank you for your smart girl tips!
sushizume · May 11, 03:32 PM · #
I wanted to mention that I have had a lot of struggles with skincare over the years. I have oily skin that is prone to breakouts and is also very sensitive. I have gone back and forth between so many brands and I have finally found a skincare line that works for me. In fact, since I started using it, I get so many more compliments on my skin. My esthetician introduced me to the line Eminence. The products are organic, all natural and handmade in Hungary. They are somewhat pricey but I didn’t have to replace any of my products for one year. They are so concentrated that a tiny bit goes a long way. You can buy their products in salons or on the web. If you can get to a salon, they do have samples that you can take that last about 2-3 weeks. Some of my friends are now also converts. Just wanted to share!
Amy Rastogi · May 11, 06:54 PM · #
I’ve got problematic skin, it is the bane of my life! I went to the dermatologist last week, expecting her to recommend loads of expensive lotions and lasers (it was in Remuera darling), but all they sold there was Neutrogena products. Cheap! The appointment wasn’t though…

As it traspires, I’ve gone on a course of Isotane (my second, the first worked a dream for a couple of years). The side-effects are unpleasant, but it really works, and last time I wished I had done it sooner.
Annabel · May 11, 10:59 PM · #
Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe it’s so complicated!

Thanks for all the tips, I should get myself in gear, I don’t really have a skincare routine. That is, I have a cleanser and a moisturiser but I don’t always remember /slaps self on wrist/. Lots of people don’t do anything except wash their face in the shower, though, and they don’t die – is it that people who look after their skin really really properly just don’t have to put up with dryness or weirdness or spots or anything, ever?

And what exactly would happen if you used a different moisturiser every day?

(Really don’t mean to sound snotty, I’m just curious!)
Roo · May 11, 11:04 PM · #
My number one piece of advice for anyone with constantly problem-plagued skin is to see a dermatologist! Spots & dryness & other assorted skin crazies are what they deal with 24/7 & so of course a consultation with a trained professional is going to be much more helpful than reading Paula’s book. She can’t see you, she doesn’t know what’s going on in your skin!

Annabel — I just did some googling on Isotane, I didn’t know what it was. My god! Don’t operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you?! That is some insane shit. I’m glad it works for you though, it must be a huge relief.

Roo — It’s really a case of keeping your skin clean, soft, blemish-free & as we get oooolder, wrinkle-prevention. Some people are blessed with incredible skin, & so they can just wash their face in the shower (with soap? ARRRGH! Nooooo!) & get away with it — the rest of us have to work for it. The thing is, your face is the place that shows your age, & if you don’t take care of it, you really do end up looking old & weather-beaten & worn out. I don’t want that very much, & nor do most other people!

& I think if you used a different moisturiser every day, it would get very ugly very quickly. You’d be dry some days, oily others, breaking out like crazy while your skin struggled to deal with varying amounts of oil & alcohol. Ugh! Not recommended!
Gala · May 12, 02:35 AM · #
I have never had problems with Dr Hauschka, and I’ve never heard of anyone else doing so – it is made from seasonal plants, and unlike stuff from Lush it has no parabens or anything in any of the products – but it is ASTONISHINGLY expensive, particularly outside of Europe. It always took a few days for my skin to adjust to it, but when it did, it was amazing. I currently like Burt’s Bees beeswax moisturiser, but outside of the US that is also quite pricey. Some lush products have gone down really well with me, and others, like the eye cream, I’ve actually found to be harsher than chemist brands like L’Oreal and stuff.
nessa · May 13, 11:10 PM · #
I cannot rave about dermalogica enough.
DAvide · May 14, 11:25 AM · #
I could not agree more about trying small samples and keeping the receipt. I was a Clarins girl for a while…but the line is too extensive and always left me thinking I should/could be using one of the other 42 similar bottles at their counter. I switched to philosophy and cannot belive the visible results from such an affordable line.

Who knew looking fabulous could cost so little? ;)
franki durbin · May 17, 01:08 AM · #
Don’t let the fact that you’re aging fool you. I’m a cheap “buy it from the supermarket” type of girl and use Olay Total Effects. It’s not the cheapest on the market, but it’s effective.

So: given that I’m nearly 42 I figure it could try a new product that is suitable for “older” skin. My skin is quite good – combination T-zone type. I decided to buy a Nivea product (DNAge) and boy oh boy – was that so WRONG! It’s too heavy!

So: I’m not that old yet :) I’m sticking to my Total Effects until it stops working!
Jenny · Oct 26, 07:34 PM · #
my skin is always rufe I put loshen on it
Hope · Feb 18, 06:14 PM · #

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How To Adopt A New Skincare Routine

[ 11 May 2007 ]

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